The great well known king of Punjab ( inclusive of Jammu & Kashmir ) Maharaja Ranjit Singh turned Punjab into a powerful and sovereign state. With his army under the command of brave army chiefs, Hari Singh Nalwa and Jorawar Singh, he extended the boundaries of it upto the west of Tibet, north of Sindh and from Khaibar pass upto the western bank of river Yamuna and provided political and geographical unity to this region. His state was free from the communal pertinacity and his rule was in accordance with the aspirations of the people. Cow killing was not only strictly prohibited in his state but he also got it prohibited in the neighbouring state Afghanistan exercising his influence on the Muslim ruler there. The brave act of getting back the invaluable gate of Somanath temple ( of Gujarat ), looted by Mehmud Gaznabi ( the Muslim robber ), was also accomplished by Ranjit Singh. The underhand political manoeuvring of the Britishers to enslave and annex Punjab proved and remained unsuccessful till he lived.

Maharaja Ranjit Singh - defeated Shah Zaman and established a Sikh kingdom in the territory that was in between Satluj and Chenab. He ran his empire for 40 years, but only 10 years after his death British took over Punjab, the last kingdom of India. Ranjit Singh was born on Nov. 13, 1780 at Gujranwala. He was named Ranjit Singh by his father(Mahan Singh). He was a very well - disciplined soldier of Khalsa who was also a secular as well as enjoying his life, like drinking, etc. The spirit of stern religious discipline and sacrifice which had supported Sikhs through a critical period of their history and led them to power and glory was dimmed in the pomp and splendour of sovereignty. Ranjit Singh's death on June 27, 1839, left a deep hiatus.